I don’t get out to the movie theater very much these days. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching films, but I just can’t seem to make it happen – having kids is the kiss of death for anyone’s movie going habits. So I resort to waiting until DVDs get released or on demand offerings are updated. As a result I’ve become a very out of touch entertainment enthusiast – in fact, I’m probably not even worthy of that title anymore – and I’ve become the person who sits through the 10 hour Oscar telecast feeling like the only human being on the planet who hasn’t seen the Life of Pi or Silver Linings Playbook. But sadly, this is my reality.

Except for last night.

Last night I was able to steal away for a couple of hours to see Identity Thief. I’ve been wanting to see the film since before I even knew it was being made. OK, maybe not that long ago, but you get my point. And here are my reasons why:

Number 1. I’m a HUGE Jason Bateman fan. So much so that I once had the chance to interview him on the red carpet and my knees got ever-so-slightly weak when I gazed into his hazel eyes asked him a few questions. It’s not so much about how he looks but more about what a great comedic actor he is. (Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he also happens to be easy on the eyes.)

Number 2. Melissa McCarthy. The woman is FUNNY. I mean, laugh-out-loud-til-you-snort kind of funny. Unabashedly, oft-times inappropriately funny, which makes her even funnier. Her comedic timing, her facial expressions, her body language, her fearlessness, all make her one of the most entertaining comedic actresses in Hollywood today.

Number 3. The idea of Jason and Melissa being in a movie together.

Number 4. See reasons numbers 1 through 3.

I mean, the studio execs who put this thing together were no dummies. Two universally likable stars with proven comedic chops were sure to make it a hit. And boy did they ever. While it definitely had its moments of “come on, Hollywood, do you really expect me to believe that could actually happen?” it also featured countless hilarious moments, many of which required nothing more than the two co-stars sitting in a car together. I mean, the whole movie could have been a tight shot of the two of them just riffing and I would have been perfectly happy. But as with any blockbuster hopeful, it was chock full of formulaic moments: car chases, explosions, shootings, bar scenes, over-the-top sex scenes, highly implausible scenarios, etc., etc. all of which collectively did make for one highly entertaining flick. Again, one must truly suspend disbelief to actually enjoy the entire film, and I did find myself wishing it would move along more quickly once or twice, but neither of those facts made me enjoy it any less. Why? Because when it was funny, it was simply too damn funny! And to top it off, it even managed to reveal a sensitive side, somehow managing to make me misty eyed by the end. And I gotta say, I do love shedding a few tears amidst all the laughs.

And on a complete side note, there is one point during the film when McCarthy is all gussied up and looks absolutely beautiful. My only comment there is – where were these people on Sunday when she was getting ready for the Oscars? I’d advise her to fire her glam squad and hire whomever it was that made her look so good in the movie. Just sayin’.

All in all, it was quite the enjoyable film and I would recommend seeing it – preferably in theaters, as opposed to several months from now at home – because seeing movies at the movies is definitely the way to go.